YouTube Music Library Upload Heralds Google Play Music Retirement

Messaging platforms and services aren't the only confusing things that Google is offering. It also has more than one music or video service and it can sometimes be a guessing game on which one will survive. Almost two years ago, Google already declared that YouTube Music is the winner but it has so far failed to incorporate features that would make the transition from Google Play Music less painful. Now it seems that the death knell is ringing and that may happen sooner rather than later.

At this point it might seem like Google's "Play" play, pardon the pun, has pretty much been a flap save for Google Play Store (that some still confuse for a games store). Google Play Newsstand has long been retired, Google Play Books isn't as widely-used and Google Play TV and Movies barely makes a dent in the streaming market.

The writing on the wall has been around far longer for Google Play Music but the company isn't able to simply switch it off. At least not until it is able to deliver the promised features that continue to be absent on YouTube Music. While YouTube Music may now have the advantage in terms of content users can stream and buy, those users can't upload their own music just yet.

For a time, there were fears that Google would do an Amazon and just remove the ability to upload your own music library altogether. After all, it may be a gray legal area and Google might prefer to avoid that. Still, it promised that it would implement Google Play Music's original feature and it seems it is on the verge of doing so.

Sources claim that a beta version of the YouTube Music app is being tested with this exact music library feature included. This could make the streaming service an even more attractive product to those still reeling over Amazon Music's U-turn. More importantly, it could also be laying the foundations for a feature that will migrate Google Play Music collections to YouTube Music, which would then signal the older service's shutdown.